Threw a bale of straw in the run!!

[SamIamNam786]

My chickens are going crazy with scratching and pecking. So far they haven’t eaten any of it. It’s still bundled together but I think the next time I go out, it will be all over the run floor. But they are not scared of it, which I initially expected them to be. They are enjoying standing on it more than they stand on thethe perch you see in the picture.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Oh yes, chickens love scratching around in straw! It's great enrichment. I would untie it and spread it thinner to prevent mold. And keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't clogging their crops with it.

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

They do love a straw bale to hop on and scratch in!

Mine also love to hunker down and rest together on the bale, soaking up the sun. Last week I cut the twine on the (six-month) old bale and spread it in 3 big mounds around the run, where they had a blast pouncing on the mounds and scratching & spreading it around, nibbling hidden bugs they revealed. The fresh bale went where the old bale was, such a nice spot to enjoy winter sunshine. (It's very humid here but there was no sign of mold in the interior of the old bale, so they were safe to play in it.)

It's also fun to sprinkle their occasional scratch treat on top of the bale where they enjoy pecking & scratching for it. Simple chicken entertainment, a straw bale!

 

[Sally PB]

If you want the bale to last a little longer, cut just one string.

Another great thing about bales: you can use them to block the wind down at chicken level. I'll be adding a couple of bales in a corner for this purpose. If they're still intact come next spring, I'll cut one string so they can play with it.

 

[SamIamNam786]

If you want the bale to last a little longer, cut just one string.

Another great thing about bales: you can use them to block the wind down at chicken level. I'll be adding a couple of bales in a corner for this purpose. If they're still intact come next spring, I'll cut one string so they can play with it.

I'm low key scared of mites, so I don't think I'll keep it in the run for too long.

 

[Penpal]

My husband is very scientifically minded (his father was a research scientist). He investigates every idea before implementing.

Years ago he made a wee chicken house. It was very similar in design to an outhouse. Under the roost we kept a bale of straw, picky side up. All year the chickens free ranged and came into the coop to lay eggs (3 nest boxes that hung out the back) and at night to roost. The manure dropped onto the straw and fell through the straw where it composted with the straw and created a little heat. In the spring he/we lifted the coop up and took away the bale for further composting. Put down a fresh bale. I don't remember where he got the design, but it worked for us for seven years.

 

[Sally PB]

Years ago he made a wee chicken house. It was very similar in design to an outhouse. Under the roost we kept a bale of straw, picky side up. All year the chickens free ranged and came into the coop to lay eggs (3 nest boxes that hung out the back) and at night to roost. The manure dropped onto the straw and fell through the straw where it composted with the straw and created a little heat. In the spring he/we lifted the coop up and took away the bale for further composting. Put down a fresh bale. I don't remember where he got the design, but it worked for us for seven years.

What an interesting idea.

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

The manure dropped onto the straw and fell through the straw where it composted with the straw and created a little heat.

Wow, that sounds like a very compact deep-litter type arrangement! No problems with smell/flies, etc.? Interesting...

 

[SamIamNam786]

Wow, that sounds like a very compact deep-litter type arrangement! No problems with smell/flies, etc.? Interesting...

Or mites??

 

[Penpal]

Never had problems with the straw bale method. Chickens eat fleas and ticks, so that wasn't a problem. The grass was kept mowed by the chickens, the sheep, and the donkeys. No problems with smell because the fecal matter breaks down faster. Can't say if there were more flies than usual, but again the faster decomposing might have had something to do with it. Having sheep and donkeys in the pasture created flies but chickens are good about scratching up the manure and looking for maggots.

On spring my DH called me over to the chicken coop when he started raise up the coop from the bale (no floor, bare dirt with straw bale on top). "Look."

He pulled the coop up high enough for me to look at the side of it. There were tiny fluffs of fur. Baby bunnies! He lowered the coop and waited another few weeks.